


The Night Was as Dark as my Baby (Half as Beautiful Too)

by Mothmaan



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, but also not really?, i just like hurting poor nines sorry bb, i really dont know how to tag this oh boy, its late im tired excuse any mistakes, no beta we die like men, theyre dummies and theyre in love idk what to tell you, uhhhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-17 20:46:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18106154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mothmaan/pseuds/Mothmaan
Summary: Through deviancy Nines soon realized that sometimes forgetting was for the better. It didn't matter how far away he stored the memory. Packed under files and in folders, placed behind a personal firewall and tucked in the deepest part of his processors. In the hours of stasis, like a weighted body thrown into the water, a pesky bit would resurface. There was no way for him to bury his dead.-aka Nines relives sum bad memories of Cyberlife and Gavin is there





	The Night Was as Dark as my Baby (Half as Beautiful Too)

**Author's Note:**

> title from the song "As it was" by Hozier. was originally called "Fears Tell Me Fears (Don't Get Me Started)" from the song "Oh Klahoma" by Jack Stauber. May use it for another fic we'll see lol.

Gavin would tell his boyfriend he was lucky he couldn't get nightmares, but the android figured memories unable to be forgotten could be worse. Nines found it fortunate in many ways, he could always perfectly recall the details of a case, could replay an audio recording of Gavin's hearty, head thrown back, laugh, could practically feel Sumo's thick fur when away. Perhaps other models could selectively delete memories, but Nines was an unfinished upgrade. Through deviancy Nines soon realized that sometimes forgetting was for the better. It didn't matter how far away he stored the memory. Packed under files and in folders, placed behind a personal firewall and tucked in the deepest part of his processors. In the hours of stasis, like a weighted body thrown into the water, a pesky bit would resurface. There was no way for him to bury his dead. 

For a long time the only sensory input was the hum of fluorescent lights. Later, it didn't know how, but it seemed preferable to the clatter of tools on a metal tray. With that came the uncomfortable looseness of it’s own body, panels exposed delicate wires where too rough of hands sifted through. Biocomponents repeatedly taken out and put back in with different configurations. Yes, the fluorescent buzz was much preferable to this.

Everything was monochrome, save for the occasional blue. Black and white Cyberlife brand jacket was made to be flexible and durable for combat, but something about it felt constricting nonetheless. White walls, white floors, white coated scientist, black gun.  
“Shoot it, Rk900”  
_**-DEACTIVATE RK800**_  
Appeared as a mission in the corner of its vision. Steel blue eyes connected with warm brown. This wasn't the first time RK900 had this order. Some of them were running, some of them fought back, different distances and different circumstances but each time the same model. This time, it was crying, begging for a different fate. Too bad it was only simulated.

 _ **SOFTWARE INSTABILITY^**_

Fingers twitched, arm remaining at the androids side. ~~He didn't want to.~~  
Earrings jingled at the turn of the scientists head. It could not disappoint ~~or his insides would be taken out again.~~  
One shot and the RK800 slumped back as blue trickled over the bridge of ~~his~~ it's nose and spilling over onto it's cheeks.  
“Good job, Rk900” nothing felt positive about the praise.

Thirum remained on it's chassis. Though invisible to the human eye, the RK900 would never be able to unsee it. 

_**SOFTWARE INSTABILITY^** _

Tests were run frequently. Sensory was flared up it's body, red filling it's vision with the intrusion of code. Heavy tubing set into the port on the back of it's neck. ~~He wanted to rip it out.~~ Some tests were physical, seeing just how much the artificial body could take. Extreme cold raked through his circuits, only to them be replaced with extreme heat. Any dents made through tests of hardness were simply reset with applied heat, chassis taking on its original form. However, it seemed even an advanced model had its limits. 

~~The pressure was near painful~~ metal plates pressed further into the android sandwiched between them. Pseudo skin was the first to give way, the material of it's chassis proved malleable when needed, but not enough. 

_Crack_

_**SOFTWARE INSTABILITY^** _

The pressure alleviated from his body but the damage had been done. Warnings flooded his vision over damaged biocomponents and hard casing split open over his torso. He didn't want to be opened once more.

The RK900 could do nothing but lie with eyes closed as the crack in his chassis was further forced open to replace the crushed biocomponents. Multiple sets of hands were uncomfortable intrusions throughout his body. Eventually the damage was seared closed but left a lasting scar of blue and grey.  
He was a disappointment.  
A failure.  
Lost progress.  
He felt the trace of the outline of his thirum pump. A hand circling over his chest no doubt in search of his more valuable component.  
He didn't want to ~~die~~

Fingers wrapped around a wrist with an iron grip.  
“Ple-ase don't” the android's voice crackled with static and  
Fear  
_FEAR_  
_**FEAR**_  
All he'd known so far was fear.  
“Nines?” a sleep filled voice traveled through his auditory processors.  
_Nines._ Not RK900. His name was Nines.  
Opening his eyes it wasn't black and white, but warm and dark, bright LED washing him and the figure next to him in red. There was a pressure on one shoulder but this time it wasn't uncomfortable or cold, the body of a particular black cat with three legs curled next to his head.  
“Gavin” Nines breathed out, thankful to find his voice modulator working correctly this time.  
“The fuck are you on about?” blankets shifted as the detective arranged himself to lay on his stomach, propped up by one elbow and tugging at his captured wrist. A calico cat at their feet let out a disapproving mewl at being jostled. Nines quickly let it go and dropped Gavin's hand to thud against his clothed chest.  
“You're puttin on a light show here, baby” the android relished in the light touch over his LED and the pet name.  
“I'm sorry for waking you Gavin” he offered earnestly, only for an annoyed look to settle over his boyfriend's face.  
“You gonna tell me what's the matter or what” Gavin said keeping his fixed stare, thumb still stroking the androids temple that never stopped cycling red. “Androids get some new fuckin dream update I don't know about?”  
Nines took a moment to compose himself, feeling fans come on for cool down. Seeing Gavins tousled hair and concerned eyes made it impossible to lie to him. Despite himself, Nines couldn't help but swell with fondness knowing the man had woken up just for him. The strands of hair sticking to Gavin’s forehead told Nines it was probably because the android caused them both to overheat.

“You know how I've only known deviance since I was activated?” he received a nod “that's not..fully true” fingers resting on his face stilled, but only for a couple seconds, they continued tracing his diode urging the android to continue.  
“At least not within the confines of the Cyberlife tower. I was woken up more than once” Nines leaned his head into Gavin's warm touch, in turn brushing lightly into the cat, Beetle's, fur. “At first I was just present, you could say. They frequently disassembled and reassembled me, but I was aware.” Gavin hummed quietly in acknowledgment just to let Nines know he was listening. He almost couldn't help it when a hand was brought up to card through Gavin's hair, the need for physical comfort too overwhelming providing little reason as to why. Nines frequently found little logic overtaking his systems when it came to the detective anyways. “They made me-” fingers twitched over Gavin's scalp “I shot Connor. Not the one we know of course, but left overs of his model. Like I was their method of disposing of them” Nines looked anywhere but the eyes intent on him. “When Connor found me, the first thing he did was insist I take a bath, I knew he could see the blood too. All I knew about being deviant then was that I didn’t want to hurt him”  
“Not you” Gavin laid his head on Nines pressing soft kisses into the androids jawline. “You're too much of a damn softie to do that. I swear you show more humanity than most people I know Nines. What they made you do was fucked, it wasn't really you” Gavin had somehow managed to slowly maneuver so he was practically on top the android and able to press a kiss to his lips, Nines hummed contently into it. 

“I don't like taking off my shirt” Nines said seemingly out of nowhere.  
“I know” and he did, he was a detective and sometimes he did manage to you know, detect. Nines wardrobe consisted of tight fitting sweaters or button ups to be tucked into trousers, he owned a few oversized sweaters he wore more so to lounge in that made him look a little more like his brother. In their month of dating, Gavin had changed clothes around him more than once, Nines always sought out solitude the few times he had to. Gavin never asked why.  
“They wanted to know how durable I was” Nines took Gavin's hands in his own and lead them down his chest, he struggled to keep his artificial skin activated where they made direct contact. “so they ran tests. So many that I couldn't pass all of them” he stopped Gavin's hand at the hem of his shirt. The human glanced down where they rested before looking back up at Nines who just nodded at him. 

Gavin slowly inched warm and calloused hands under Nines shirt to explore the expanse of his pale torso, thumbs hooked over the fabric of his shirt drawing it up with his movements. It was so much different from the cold, glove covered hands that took him apart what seemed now ages ago. Fingers graced over a now revealed “scar”, one could consider it, with a softness few have seen in the detective. The bulk of the scar was concentrated to the right of his torso, starting at a pointed hip bone then tangled until it reached the edge of his thirum pump. Pseudo skin unable to fully spread over the line of harsh blue where the chassis was soldered back together. Small fissures of white spiderwebbed out, also slightly textured. Nines couldn’t bring his breathing protocols to work as Gavin silently looked over the damage.  
“I know its unsightly-”  
“No” Gavin firmly interrupted. Nines breath hitched as Gavin laid his palms flat and fully on his torso “You’re so beautiful it almost hurts, you absolute bastard” it was said so quietly Nines probably only heard it thanks to his android hearing. 

Gavin started moving suddenly, moving to pull Nines’ shirt completely off over his head. Malleable in the face of the detective, Nines accepted the action and even lifted a bit off the bed to make it easier to take off. Gavin gripped the androids sides as he peppered kisses along the scar until he found himself looking back up at Nines. Nines’ movement was almost automatic as his hands found their way to Gavin’s face, holding it inches from his own. Nearing a year ago Gavin would have hated the stark reminder of just how android Nines was, as friends he was able to accept the asocial and generally odd nature of him, but he struggled to come to terms with accepting how he attached he was to a “piece of plastic”. Now it was clear Gavin accepted him in all regards, Nines found himself wanting nothing more than to return the sentiment. Nines stroked his thumb over the edge of the raised tissue that ran over Gavin’s nose onto his cheek

“I love you” His processors could hardly keep up with the sheer amount of emotion he was feeling at that very moment, it was blurted out before he could consider its repercussions. Gavin’s vitals spiked and for a few seconds suddenly Nines had the capacity and sense to consider all the repercussions. Then the detective surged forward, messily crashing his lips over the androids. Nines let himself melt into the kiss, artificial skin receding there Gavin’s hands slowly dragged from his sides to rest on the sides of his neck. Pulling away Gavin decided to settle his head on Nines’ chest and close his eyes.  
“Yeah, right back at you” The casual words to such a confession, mingled with a returned sleepiness was so very _Gavin_. Nines knew he was saying it in his own way, had been for the whole night, and he was ready to accept any amount of the man.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!! Please leave a comment I yearn for that sweet, sweet validation.


End file.
